Darkest Before The Dawn
by dave-d
Summary: A difficult mission. A treacherous environment. A fellow shinobi in danger. A jutsu gone awry. Naruto and Hinata trapped, the situation looking very bleak. Could anything good come from such tragedy?


-1Rock dust filtered down, covering both of their heads.

That was all that could fit between the small cracks in the pile of massive boulders. That, and a slow steady stream of fresh air.

For certain, there was no light seeping through those invisible cracks, unseen because of the pitch blackness of the small cramped confines. Even if there had been a whole village worth of torches on the other end of that deadly barrier, the erstwhile tomb likely would have remained dark.

"_Damn." _Naruto's voice came out in an explosive rush. Part of him was clever enough to know he should conserve oxygen. But, he couldn't help himself. A leopard cannot change its spots. "I'm sorry, Hinata." This _was_ his fault, in a manner of speaking. He might have grown very powerful… but, without better impulse control, he might be as big a hazard to a group as he was an asset. No. That wasn't fair. He had acted as best he could, making a last ditch effort that had saved Hinata's life. Saved her life, and landed both of them where they were. "I _hate _this!"

"It's… it's OK, Naruto-kun." Hinata replied, in a quiet voice. She was clearly cognizant of their perilous state, and wanted to conserve whatever resources they had. Oxygen was the most important thing at the moment. There was also chakra to think about in the short run, and food and water in the long run. She had no idea if they would be found, since Naruto's wind based jutsu had demolished large bits of the underground cavern system, or so she surmised. Her companion had long since stopped shouting for help, and had begun cursing, after having tried to create an army of clones to move the rocks. The rocks were too heavy for the temporary constructs. They might prove too daunting a task to anyone else who might happen upon them.

At the moment, neither of them was in any state of mind to consider that things could have been far worse. The enemy could have killed them. They might have fallen somewhere open enough for the plummeting mass of rock to flatten them like pancakes. Or, instead of falling into a relatively small and dry hole, they could have been knocked into one of the deeper shafts, filled as they were with cold numbing water.

"You… you saved me…" Hinata was sore, sore and somewhat woozy; but, she was still alive. She wouldn't have been if naruto hadn't intervened during the worst of the skirmished. And, while his later batch of clones might not have been able to move the imposing stone, his initial batch… created while the were both falling… had served as a life-saving pillow, and an umbrella to the smaller but equally deadly falling rock fragments. "Th-Thank you."

"Right." Naruto wrinkled up his face. "Great job, Naruto. You're a hero, Naruto." He sighed. "Out of the boiling water and onto the plate." His belly rumbled. He shouldn't have chosen that analogy.

Truth be told, Hinata would indeed have died without his action. He might have been taken down himself, seeing how many adversaries had surrounded him at the end. The mission into the vast underground tunnel system had been perilous enough, given the unstable tectonic activity in the area; the impossibility of mapping such an extensive natural formation; and the fact that the enemy ninjas had infiltrated the area and set it up as their base of operations. When Team Kakashi and Team Kurenai had been split off from the rest of the assault group by clever traps and a strong rush by Sound shinobi, things had grown even more serious.

"I did my best…" Hinata suddenly felt very small. The battle had been her chance to show Naruto how strong she had grown. A lot of that growth had come from the inspiration he had prompted in her. "But…" New techniques. An improved kaiten. A devastating use of the Gentle Fist. It had proven useless in the end, after the number of enemy fighters overwhelmed her. "I…"

"You did great," Naruto said, still somewhat surprised by Hinata's performance. He hadn't seen much of her, after returning from his sojourn with Jiraiya. Akatsuki had taken much of his focus, as had his learning new attacks with Kakashi and Yamato. "So did Sakura and Sai. I didn't see what Kiba and Shino were doing." He bit his lip hard. He had turned down the Kyubi's offer of power at a critical juncture in the battle. Maybe if he had accepted, they wouldn't have ended up in such dire straits. Then again, what good could come from selling one's soul to such a beast? "My Bunshin were no match for them…"

He had created countless shadow clones; but, they had been quickly taken down by a resolute and crafty enemy. Obviously, their opponents had been well informed and equally well prepared. His mind wandered for a moment, wondering if the target they had been sent to attack was real, or if the Leaf had been suckered into a trap.

Like watching an old fashion picture show, Naruto's thoughts moved again the back screen of his mind. Many of the memories appeared to take place in slow motion, while others were slow, grainy, and unclear. A large surge of Sound warriors had come close to overwhelming the jounin and their underlings. During the hectic fight, he and Hinata had been forced back into a far end of one of the various caverns. Fighting on narrow bridges of rock, any wrong step could have left them plunging to unimaginable depths. For most of the conflict, it had been the enemy shinobi who proved unlucky in that fashion. Lesser levels of his wind based talent had proved the prefrect tool at an opportune time. But, when it looked like Hinata was about to be finished off, Naruto had released his new attack with unparalleled ferocity.

His action had the desired effect, slicing their would-be killers into unrecognizable pieces. It also doused all of the light in their vicinity. That being the case, neither he nor Hinata saw the vast number of severed stalagtites fall from the ceiling and fracture the bridges they perched upon. Hinata had picked up the threat with her Byakugan, but there had been little they could do. Grabbing Naruto by the shoulder, she had pulled him over towards the one pit that her talent showed to be the shallowest. It had been the only one whose bottom she could sense. Just the same, they should have been crushed. Only good fortune caused the falling rock to stack up the way it had.

"Kurenai-sensei will look for us," Hinata said in her quiet voice. "The others will too." She swallowed hard. That was all based on the assumption that the Leaf forces wouldn't be defeated, or held at an impasse. "They can send for help. Someone in the village will have a justsu that will help." If some shinobi could move their way through solid rock, or cause the elements to change according to their will, there was reason to hope, wasn't there?

"_That's right!" _Naruto felt his usual sense of optimism flare up. But, that wasn't the only thing. His stomach rumbled again, but for a different reason. He was rather gassy after all the excitement. Gritting his teeth, he did everything he could to keep from breaking wind. Sweating profusely, he succeeded. The little incident had his thoughts traveling back to the first chuunin exam their groups participated in. "Nothing can stop Uzumaki Naruto."

At least, he _hoped_ that was true. He had been in so many impossible situations, and kept finding some way out each and every time. Well, be truthful, in many of those circumstances, it had been Fate that had found a way. Fate, and his friends. He pictured Hinata standing behind the posts at the training filed. He didn't know why. Having done so, the words that entered his thoughts were no big shock. "Looks like I'm a proud failure again…" Where had that arrogance and self-confidence run off to?

He was feeling a touch of melancholy. His good spirits could only go so far. Faced with a good chance of death… and not a death that came swiftly during battle, with no chance to think about one's approaching doom… there was no way he could hold back the onrushing wall of despair. He began thinking about the things he had done in his life, and the goals he had set for himself.

"Yes…" Hinata put her hand to her mouth, not wanting to say anything that might sound like a condemnation. She too thought back to their meeting at the training fields, on the day when Naruto would face Neji. "Everybody fails, sometimes." She knew that all too well from her own past. "But… but you… you keep getting back up. You keep getting stronger." She had henceforth begun trying to do the same, thanks to him. "I know you would have reached your dream…" She bit her lip again. "I mean… I know you _will _reach your dream…" She didn't put her next thought into words. 'I probably won't be so lucky.'

"Yeh… I guess…" Naruto wasn't feeling so sanguine at the moment. The idea of being Hokage still fit him like a well-tailored suit. But, as he grew older and somewhat more realistic, he had to wonder if he would ever have what it takes. He was strong, but part of that was due to the damn fox. He had leaned a lot, but the number of jutsus he knew was nothing compared to those that Kakashi and Yamato had, not to mention Tsunade, Jiraiya, and the greatly missed Sarutobi. And, he reminded himself, strength wasn't everything. He knew that well enough, having seen Shikamaru in action numerous times. He remembered wanting to use Rasengan to gain entrance to Orochimaru's lair. That certainly hadn't been a shining tribute to his _own_ cleverness.

The orange clad ninja clenched his jaw. What was this loser way of thinking? This was no time to be focusing on past failures or mistakes. He was Uzumaki Naruto. He had told Tsunade he would be Hokage one day, back when he and Ero-Sennin had brought her back to Konoha. He was a man of his words. It was his Ninja Way! "You _bet!"_

More rock dust trickled down, this time in large amounts, causing the two trapped ninjas to cough and sputter. Hinata began sneezing, and seemed as if she would never stop. Then, without warning, and ominous scraping sound was evident, as weaker rocks broke or snapped, and the accumulated rubble pushed down towards the shinobi. What little freedom of movement they once had was gone for good.

"**Shit!" **Naruto blurted that out, as a huge platter of stone pressed against him, knocking him firmly against Hinata. _"Sorry!" _He was contrite about his exclamation, and a bit embarrassed by his closer proximity. His face was pressed against something soft. No, in reality, _two_ soft things. Before he realized what that meant, he spoke again. "Soft…" It felt good. In a situation close to death, his mind should be focused elsewhere. But, he couldn't help himself. What was he pressed against? Exploring with his hands, he found the answer. "Wait… I… Hinata, I didn't _mean_ to…"

"_Eep!" _Hinata was embarrassed by her squeaking noise. She was a kunoichi, not a small trapped mouse. Just the same, when Naruto's hands briefly explored her chest area, she reacted unconsciously. Her eyes felt funny. If she had been able to see anything, her vision might be blurry. This was often the way she felt before passing out. Usually, that occurred when Naruto's lips accidentally came too close to hers.

She had dreamed her share of dreams, where Naruto noticed her and spent time with her. In some of her bolder fantasies, she had even pictured him kissing her. But, not even in her wildest thoughts had she imagined him touching her there. Her heart racing and her breath coming in ragged gasps, she forced herself to be calm. It had _not_ been intentional. Naruto was not being inappropriate.

"Hey…" Naruto coughed, his throat suddenly dry. Not truly a pervert, despite the bad habits he had picked up during his stay with the Frog Hermit, he nonetheless had a normal young man's drives, sublimated as they might be by the busy and stress-filled life he led. He tried to ignore the thoughts that came to his mind at that moment. "You know…" He coughed again, frantically looking for a safe subject. He almost blurted out 'You know… you smell real nice…' Hinata did smell nice. She must use a fancy brand of soap or something. "This is the first time I've spent much time around you…." He felt like an idiot, saying that then. But, it was true. He had been so caught up with missions and training, that he didn't see much of anyone other than Yamato, Sakura, and Kakashi. Just the same, he had seen some of the others on occasion. He hadn't seen more than a glimpse of Hinata, other than that day he ran across Shino, Kiba, and then her. Given that fact, he also never had much reason to realize that he hadn't seen her. Shifting his weight the best he could, he guessed that she probably hadn't thought much about him over the years, either.

"Yes." Hinata nodded her head, banging it against a rock outcropping. That hurt! "I wish it wasn't…" She bit her tongue, about to speak too much about her feelings. She had been about to blurt out 'I wish it wasn't the only time.'

"You wish it wasn't me…" Naruto made a face again. He clenched his jaw for a moment, and then relaxed. There were still a lot of people in the village who either hated him, or didn't want anything to do with him. But, he had never judged Hinata to be one of them. "Sorry to disappoint you…" He sniffed. That sounded a bit too childish.

"No… that's not it…" Hinata rushed to correct Naruto's miscomprehension. That's the last thing on earth she wanted him to think, no matter what situation they might find themselves in. "I'm glad… I mean…" She had said too much.

"Huh?" Naruto snorted. _"Glad?" _He shrugged. What was the girl talking about? Who could be happy to be trapped like this? Did she mean that she was glad that he was the one pinned down here with her? Why? "You can't mean you're happy to be down here…"

"I… ummm…" Despite hating the habit, Hinata very much wanted to run her fingers together. But, she couldn't do that without putting her arms around Naruto. Both of those arms remained pressed firmly against her flanks after she pictured just such a happening. "I wish we weren't trapped…" She swallowed hard. If she didn't answer, maybe he would think that she was a shy dark weirdo again. If she said too much, who knows how he might react? "It's…" She clamped her mouth shut. Now was not the time to blurt out her true feelings. He might laugh, or make some kind of snide remark. If he did, she would be crushed in an entirely different manner.

Naruto remained uncharacteristically quiet for a short while, waiting to hear what Hinata might say. He shook his head, saying "You're certainly not like the other girls…"

Hinata's eyes went wide, before she shut them tightly. Was he judging her in some way? Did he find her lacking? What? Why?

"Sakura would have found some way to kick me… or to shout at me… even though this isn't my fault…" Naruto frowned. Yes, this _was_ his fault in a fashion. But, he already dealt with those feelings. "I mean… my laying on top of you…" He swallowed hard after saying that. The words made him very aware of certain things. There was indeed a living breathing girl pressed against him. Again, he rushed his next words. "And, the others girls would be chattering on about all sorts of stuff… _you_ know…"

Hinata remained silent. Part of her mind wondered if she could turn the situation into some kind of waking daydream. After all, she was very close to Naruto. He was firmly pressed against her. She noticed his scent too, one of sweat, shampoo, and Ramen spices. No. No no no no _no_. Now was not the time to fantasize, even if it might distract her from her perilous situation. There was no way that she could think such things, with Naruto there. It didn't matter that it was dark, and that he couldn't possibly read her mind.

"You're being very quiet. And calm," Naruto remarked, wondering if any of his fellow shinobi might react differently in Hinata's stead. "I guess you're probably pretty brave, these days…" She had always been so timid, back in the Academy. It had been her stand against Neji in the indoor arena that had caused him to pay much attention to her, for the first time. He wondered how much she had changed over the years. "I bet…" He didn't finish that thought. Part of him was very much aware of how much she had changed physically over the years. He was _not _Ero-Sennin! He should not be thinking such things. But, he couldn't help himself. Paradoxically, he wished that he could see her face at the moment, even though he wasn't certain why. He was also glad that he could not see her, and that she couldn't see him.

"I…" Hinata wondered what she could say that might make Naruto think more highly of her. For a moment, she was blind to the fact of the terrible situation she found herself in. She didn't want to sound like she was bragging. But, she wanted him to know that she had gotten stronger, too. Why was it so hard to get the words out? "I have…" She took a deep breath. She really wasn't ready to talk with Naruto. Then again, the way things went in her life up until that very day, she probably _never_ would have been ready. Could some good come out of such a bad situation? Maybe. If she could get her tongue to work.

"But I guess you're still pretty shy, too…" Naruto tried to run his head, earning a chipped fingernail for his efforts. Damn rocks!

"Naruto-kun…" Hinata wondered if that remark was a put down of sorts. Maybe it was. She had always wondered, how someone as outgoing and loud as Uzumaki Naruto could ever come to notice… much less care about… someone as timid and retiring as her. He probably never would! "I _am_ still shy…" That was the truth. She couldn't deny it. "But… but I…" She could get the words out. She could! "I have worked very hard to get stronger. I have done better on my missions. Kurenai-sensei is very proud of me." She almost said 'I just wish my father would see things the same way.' "I always try my best because of…" She stopped before adding the word 'you.' Shy or not, she had already said more words to Naruto than she might earlier have thought possible. But, that didn't mean she could just march ahead boldly and speak any thought that came to mind.

"It's your Ninja Way." Naruto grabbed hold of that thought immediately, thinking about his own life. "That's _right_. You said that to Neji, just like I did in my fight with him." He nodded his head. He and Hinata did indeed have some things in common. Or, they once had, back when they were students and then genin. That thought had him frowning. He still was the only one of them who was technically a genin, despite all he had done. It wasn't his fault that he never had opportunity to repeat the chuunin exams!

"Yes," Hinata replied. She wanted to say 'I said that because my important person was watching me. Usually, it was _me _watching _him_.' She blinked rapidly, realizing once again that she had not been able to see Naruto complete his match against her cousin. More than anything, she wished that she could have. Regardless, she was very grateful to the changes that Naruto's actions had brought forth in Neji, and in the Hyuuga household as a whole. Just one more set of reasons to deeper her feelings for him.

"So…" Naruto found that his curiosity was clamoring for his attention. He shook his head when more dust piled up on his hair. The resultant cloud of rock fragments had Hinata sneezing again and wiping her face. "Sorry…" There was no avoiding an awareness of their situation for long. Just the same, he wanted to find something to talk about. That would be an action of sorts. It was not like Uzumaki Naruto to simply lie around, waiting for death to claim him, or simply hoping someone else would come to his rescue. "How have you worked harder? What have you done over the past few years? What have you learned?" If she wouldn't answer, he would certainly fill the void. Usually it took work for someone to shut him up, not get him going.

In small bits and spurts, Hinata began talking about her training experiences and the missions that she had gone on. It was hard at first, because of her habitual shyness. It was also made difficult by Naruto, who repeatedly stopped her, asking for details about certain things, or pumping her about details of the people she mentioned during her discourse. The more she spoke, the easier it got for her. At one point, she surprised herself, realizing that she had begun embellishing things, much the way that Naruto might. That wasn't like her. That was almost like lying! But, the more she built herself up, the happier Naruto sounded. He was truly excited to hear how much his other friends had grown over the years, too. Some ninja might have been jealous, and might have wanted to deny the strength of his fellow shinobi. Not Naruto. Once again, Hinata found her heart going out to him in ways it had never gone out to anyone else.

"Way… to… _go_…Hinata." Naruto chuckled, after hearing about Hinata's actions during her most recent mission. He smiled. It was _his _turn to talk. Not brag. Talk. Hinata had shared, so he would force himself to do the same. That was his story, and he was sticking to it. "I've been pretty busy too. And before I got back, life with Ero-Sennin… I mean Jiraiya… was never boring…." Just as Hinata had, he went on to describe his past few years in great detail. When he spoke about Sasuke, and his tone of voice changed dramatically, Hinata surprised the both of them by finding his hand and giving it a quick squeeze. She grunted in pain when she pulled the hand away too quickly, and banged her elbow on a sharp jutting boulder. Who would have thought that being shy could prove to be so painful?

The two trapped teenagers realized that their voices had grown somewhat faint, and that some of their words were getting slurred. The oxygen level must be getting pretty low, now. Maybe they should just remain silent for a while. But, while Hinata would have no trouble with that tack, Naruto wasn't finished talking. Once again, some things never change.

"Yes… I still believe that I will be Hokage some day…" The village's noisiest and most unpredictable ninja would have struck a Gai-like pose, had he been able to. "Hey… Hinata…" A thought struck him. Now that was a good question! It didn't even occur to him that it might be too personal. "What about you… what's _your _biggest dream…"

Hinata considered avoiding the question. She had tensed up something awful. If she pretended to have passed out from the lack of breathable air, she wouldn't have to share her deepest secret. Part of her desperately wanted to. Another part actually felt indignant, wondering why Uzumaki Naruto was the only person who knew her that couldn't figure out her feelings for him. Mostly though, it was that same fear, the fear that he would reject her outright. Her hopes for the future might only be a dream; but, they were the only real dream she had. If she couldn't win Naruto's affections, she certainly wasn't ready to abandon the comfort provided by her hopes and wishes. No. She _had_ to tell him. He had always been so brave. How could she be anything less? And, if she didn't tell him now, she might never get another chance. There was no guarantee that either of them was going to survive.

"It's…" Despite her intentions, Hinata found her tongue growing thick and her throat going dry. What was the saying? The road to the Underworld was paved with good intentions. How many other times in her life had she made one kind of vow or another, only to back down when the moment of truth arrived. No. She couldn't let that happen again. Not now. Not in _this_ situation. While it was true that she might be embarrassed, that embarrassment wouldn't last too long, should they both die. "I've always wanted…"

The silence dragged on for a bit after that. Naruto was driven to tap on what he guessed to be Hinata's forehead, trying to see if she was still conscious. She was. Her gasp of pain at having her eye poked gave evidence to that fact. "Oh… sorry… I was worried when you went quiet…." He frowned. What was so strange about that, all things considered? Maybe it was the fact that today, down here, she had spoken to him more than she had in the entire time that he knew her.

"It's… it's OK…" Hinata didn't rub her eye, concerned that she might grind rock dust and dirt into it. "I'm sorry… it's just…" She swallowed hard and took another deep breath. In a way, she had earned that minor injury. "I _do_ have a dream…." She clenched her fists. It was now or never. If her courage broke, she would never be able to confess her feelings. "It was… it _is_… a boy…" She trembled, enough to have Naruto ask if she was alright. "I always… I've always wanted him to notice me…" She felt better in a way, having admitted that much. It did not make things any easier, however. Maybe if Naruto was curious enough to ask questions, she would be able to answer them. That might work.

"Notice?" Naruto reflexively tried to sit up. Nagging his head again as a result of his absentmindedness. "You mean you wanted to be taken seriously…" His own experience was at work there. He thought about Sasuke again, and how much he had once wanted the other boy to acknowledge him as an equal. How many times had he told his teammate that he wanted to fight him? And then, what had been the results of those three times that had squared off? No. Now was not the time to dwell on that subject. Wait? Hinata was a girl. She might not mean the same thing anyway! Finally, his naivety and cluelessness gave way to the obvious. "Huh? Hinata. Do you mean _'notice' _notice? You know…"

"Ummm… yes…" Hinata felt as if she could seep through the cracks between the rocks her body rested upon. No doubt Naruto had finally caught on. He had to know that she was talking about her, right?

"Oh" Naruto cocked his head as much as the space allowed. "Who?"

The white-eyed girl made a small unintelligible noise, a sign of disbelief. She might not be the sharpest tool in the shed, or the most worldly amongst the chuunin, but there was a limit to the level of obliviousness that her mind could comprehend, oxygen deprivation or no oxygen deprivation.

Naturally, Naruto misinterpreted that noise. "Hinata-chan… Hinata-chan… It's OK… you can tell me… I can keep a secret…" He nodded his head vigorously, his mop of hair brushing loose more rock dust. "It's my Ninja Way!" His mind began thinking furiously. Who could she be talking about? People often focused on the members of the opposite sex who were close at hand, didn't they? He snapped his fingers. "I bet it's Kiba, _right?"_

"N-No…" Hinata wanted to shout. She couldn't help herself, even though such an urge went against the grain for her.

"Hmmm… well…" Naruto frowned. Kiba was a great guy. He couldn't really picture him as a good match for Hinata; but, he would have been surprised had she set her heart on his friend. "You don't mean… Shino?" While Shino was a good friend of his, he couldn't picture any girl choosing him.

"**No!" **Hinata felt her face grow warm when she shouted in a rather un-ladylike way. That had caught her entirely by surprise. Yes, she admired and liked Aburame Shino, just as she felt strongly for Inuzuka Kiba. But, he was the _last_ person she would ever feel romantically inclined towards. Even after the years of training together, those bugs still gave her the creeps, sometimes. She didn't even want to think where he kept them!

"I don't blame you," Naruto said, quickly telling Hinata not to repeat what he said to Shino. "_Who_ then?" He rubbed his nose, trying to concentrate. He was feeling a bit too dizzy for his liking. "Let me think… it can't be Neji… he's your cousin." And, he had not treated Hinata all that well, prior to his humbling experience in the chuunin exams. "So-o-o-o-o… hmm-m-m-m… Shikamaru?" Ino seemed to like the cerebral guy, even if he was a bit of a complainer. And, that Temari seemed fond of him as well. Maybe girls liked the cerebral type. Go figure.

"No." Hinata shook her head. While she was fond of Nara Shikamaru, she never understood why Ino was so smitten with him. First it had been Uchiha Sasuke. And then Shikamaru. She secretly wished that her friend would grow to favor Akimichi Choji, not liking to see anyone feeling alone. She knew all too well what _that_ felt like!

"You don't have a crush on an older guy, _do_ you?" Naruto made a face. He couldn't imagine anyone falling for Maito Gai. It still bothered him, seeing how much Rock Lee aped the ways of his sensei. That might help Lee in some ways, but it certainly wouldn't do much for him socially! It probably wouldn't be Kakashi either, even though Ayame always sighed and made the strangest face when the Copy Ninja's name came up. Maybe girls liked mysterious guys. Who could say? Wait. Hinata doted on Kurenai, and Yuuhi Kurenai had a thing for Sarutobi Asuma. "It better _not_ be Asuma…" He admired and respected the chain-smoking and rugged jounin; but, someone like that was not right for Hinata, no way no how.

"No." Hinata shook her head again. How long would it take for Naruto to narrow things down? Did the fact that he didn't even think of his own name stand as mute testimony that he could never consider her in that light? Her heart felt leaden inside her chest.

"Choji?" Naruto sounded incredulous. Choji was another good friend. But, he was well aware of what Ino thought of the rotund boy's eating habits. "Lee?" He felt a sudden rush of certainty. It had to be Lee. Rock Lee was a hard worker, just like Hinata. He was someone who would never give up, no matter what. That fact became painfully clear, literally, back when the bushy eye-browed boy fought hard to recover his health, after that disastrous match with Gaara. It had been heartbreaking, hearing Tsunade say it was best that the boy give up his dreams to be shinobi! "Lee! _That_ must be it!"

"No," Hinata said. "Neither."

"Huh?" Naruto scrunched up his face. "Not Lee? Then who?" He scratched the back of his neck. Oh. That made sense. "You were one of the Sasuke groupies?" So many girls had been. Who knows how many might dream about him, even though he had essentially turned traitor, even though it might not be his fault. That was the way he personally chose to view things, considering Orochimaru's curse seal. He conveniently ignored the fact that his missing friend had long harbored an obsession regarding Itachi's death. While Sakura's feelings towards Sasuke might have changed some… and the again, might not have… who says what any other girl might do? He sighed. Sakura. That was another subject that always left him confused. What did she think about Uzumaki Naruto? What did he feel for her?

"No," Hinata said, beginning to feel more depressed than exasperated. "Never."

"Who's left?" Naruto didn't mind working on puzzles. But, he hated it when things stretched on for too long. Maybe it was someone from a group of younger shinobi. Maybe it wasn't even a ninja at all. Damn. He had wanted to guess it! Hey. Could it be Sai? No. Not him. Hinata probably never even met the guy. What's more, he was socially graceless. Shaking his head, he marveled at the fact that some girls were already smitten with his newest friend. It wasn't so surprising, though. He had to admit that. Sai was good looking in his way, almost looking like Sasuke. In the case of Yamanaka Ino, it had been an amusing turn of events. He had called her pretty, even though he was thinking just the opposite.

Hinata sighed. That sigh spoke volumes, but in a language Naruto was deaf to. "He's…" She still couldn't come out and say 'It's you, Naruto-kun.' She would try a different method. It would work. "He's a very brave person… and he always tries so hard…" She fought to retain consciousness. The air was growing far too thin. Maybe it was best she told Naruto to be quiet, and hold on as long as they could. No. While she couldn't come right out and say it, she did feel an urge to continue. "He always keeps his word… and he's been my biggest inspiration…"

"That could be a _lot_ of people," Naruto said, somewhat obtusely. Things still hadn't clicked for him yet.

"He's… ummm… he's very loud…" Hinata coughed. The dust was getting worse, too. "He's very… ummm… unpredictable…" She swallowed hard. The next one ought to do it. "He loves Ramen…"

"Sounds like a great guy," Naruto said with some spunk. "What else?" He wondered why there was a slapping noise, unable to see that Hinata had hit her own hand against her forehead.

"I can't believe that…" Hinata clamped her hand over her mouth. She didn't want to say anything that might be taken as criticism or disapproval. Besides, whenever in her entire left had she let out an exclamation like that?

"Huh?" Naruto shifted his weight again. He had been doing his best to hold himself up, but felt his arms growing fatigued. He pressed tighter against Hinata. "Are you angry about something?" That wasn't something he could conceptualize very readily. Hinata always seemed so meek and sweet. Quite the opposite of Haruno Sakura, when his pink-haired teammate got into one of her moods. "Hey… Hinata… do you have an 'Inner Hinata'…"

"N-Naruto-kun?" That one left Hinata perplexed. What was Naruto talking about? "What?"

"Nevermind," Naruto put in quickly. "I was just curious. I wanted to know if that kind of thing was normal, that's all." Fuzzy as his mind was at the moment, he was able to get back on track. "So… why don't you just tell me who the guy is?"

"H-He… he likes to wear orange…" Hinata flinched. That would do it. It _had_ to do it. Who else paraded around the Fire Country in a garish orange outfit? On anyone else, she might have thought it tacky or obnoxious. Naturally, because it was her special person, she thought it wonderful. Well, almost. Hearing no response, she tensed up some. Had he finally guessed? Did his silence mean he was shocked, or bothered? Was he trying to spare her feelings? Not wanting to jump to conclusions, she added another 'final' clue. "He wants to be Hokage some day…"

"_Huh?" _Naruto tensed up himself. "Then he better be ready to go through me!" A fierce feeling coursed through his veins. There had been times when he doubted his abilities, or when the task ahead of him seemed fraught with peril and disappointment. But, even in his lowest moments, he never let go the grip he had on his foremost goal. "Orange?" He scratched the back of his neck, bumping an elbow in the process. The falling rock dust thing was getting real old, too! Spitting out more of the gritty ubiquitous substance, he zeroed in on the fact that was clamoring so loudly for attention. Orange. _He _wore orange. But, who else did? That's right. Who… else… did? **"Gross!" **Something had slid through the gaps in the rock along with the pebbles. It was slimy! He spat it out, having found it in his mouth.

"…" Hinata made a strange noise. It was akin to the air being released from a balloon. Gross? Did he think her liking him was that horrible? Maybe she should have expected that kind of reaction. For a moment, she felt worse than she had the day that her father had tossed her away into Kurenai's keeping, and almost as bad as the day her mother died.

"_Stupid worm!" _Naruto spat, and only then worried whether or not he might have expectorated on Hinata. "Gross… slimy… and it tastes _real _bad…" He wiped his tongue along his sleeve, ending up with a thick coating of moist dust for his troubles. "Bleh. Geez how I hate this!" Once again, he was forced to realize that there were countless problems in the world that could not be cured by impulsiveness; a loud challenge; Kage Bunshin; or Rasengan. Yes. He should also add his new wind-based jutsu to that list, too.

"M-m-m-m…" Hinata relaxed ever so slightly. He hadn't been talking about her after all. But, Naruto's remark made her very much aware of their predicament again. She had to be strong, like him. She couldn't let a sense of pessimism and hopelessness overwhelm her. She had been burdened by those types of feelings enough in her life. If she was going to die, she didn't want to leave them behind as her legacy.

"Hey! Hinata! Is something wrong?" Naruto didn't know what to make of Hinata's noises. "I mean… is something _else_ wrong…" As was his way, Naruto's concern for others always outweighed his concern for himself. "Maybe if I move more to the side…" No good. The two of them had no choice but to stay in their respective positions.

"It's… it's alright, Naruto-kun…" Hinata began coughing violently, having breathed in more than air. The dizziness she felt was a good indication that the amount of air to breathe had passed some critical point. "I'm… I'm OK…"

"Good," Naruto said, rubbing the side of his nose. "What was I thinking about before?" He swallowed hard. Orange. He had been thinking about orange. Not just the color, but also who made a habit of _wearing _that color. "Oh. Yeh. Orange." The planets must have finally aligned, or the forces of the cosmos may have reached a certain balance, because Uzumaki Naruto finally put all of the pieces together. "Hinata… do you mean _me?"_

"Yes." Hinata's voice was very soft, so faint that Naruto wondered if he had imagined her answer. She felt light-headed, true. But now, there was another lightening. It felt as if a great burden had been lifted from her soul. No matter what his response might be, Naruto now knew the secret she had been keeping from him for so long.

"Really?" Naruto couldn't believe what he had heard. Hinata? Liking him? Making him the centerpiece of her life? "Me?" He didn't know what to feel, or what to say. It almost didn't compute, someone feeling that way about him. Who knows what his life might have been like, if he had been fortunate enough to have parents who felt the same way about him? Maybe then he could accept the fact that someone else might feel that way about the boy with Kyubi behind his navel. Oh. Yeh. That. Hinata didn't know about _that_. If she did, maybe she would feel this way after all. "I never would have guessed…"

"I know…" Hinata sighed. The truth may well be that Naruto was the most clueless boy in the Fire Country, if not the entire world. Then again, it might simply be that Hyuuga Hinata was the last person on earth that anyone would want caring for them. "You were… you were the only one who didn't figure it out, Naruto-kun…"

"Huh?" Naruto tried to sit upright without thinking. "Ouch! Why do I keep _doing _that?" He touched the top of his dusty scalp, feeling a bump rising there. If Sai was here, he would probably be smiling that closed-eyed smirk of his. Sai. He wished that he could see his friend again, because that would mean he was no longer trapped beneath a stinking pile of ruble! That is, he would be glad to see his newest teammate if the guy didn't start up with all his 'dickless' stuff again! What? Why did he have to think about _that? _Now he was painfully aware that a part of him was pressed up against a part of Hinata. It didn't matter what part of her it was. He couldn't let his imagination run wild. Even worse, he couldn't let his thinking about a part of his anatomy cause it to do its trick, so to speak. Not now! Not here! No way!

Speak of the Devil, and he appears. It was an old euphemism that Naruto had heard somewhere. Sure enough, having tried to will that particular part of his body to remain limp and inert, he found out that it had a mind of its own, in a manner of speaking. Closing his eyes ever so tightly, he promised he would do any manner of things, if only Hinata remained ignorant of his condition.

"Naruto-kun… is something wrong…" Hinata coughed again. Her breathing sounded a bit hoarse. "Something _else _wrong?" She echoed his earlier words, hoping that he hadn't done something to injure himself further,

"No… no…nothing's wrong…" Naruto's voice came out in a rush, an octave higher than usual. "There's nothing wrong at all… why does something _always _have to be wrong with girls…." His predicament had temporarily caused him to forget the recent revelation. But, not for long. Having spent so much time in the company of a big hairy reprobate of a Sannin, he had seen many things, and thought many thoughts. While he was still physically naïve in the ways of the distaff sex, he had experienced more than his share of fantasies. Part of his mind wondered if Hinata might like certain things, since she said she cared about him. "No… no… _no_…" Those 'No's' were meant for him. This was no time to let his mind wander. Yes, Hinata was a girl. True, she smelled nice and was pleasantly soft. No. Soft. Just soft. And, most importantly, she was the girl who was there, all close and personal. No. There was nothing personal about this situation. It was a mission. Merely a mission.

"…" Hinata grew even more concerned. Had he banged his head too hard? Was that it?

"Where… where was I…" Naruto shifted his body for a reason this time. Good, that was better. Much better. Cursing Sai unfairly under his breath again, he imaged his other teammates looking in on his embarrassing situation. He pictured Kakashi smiling at him, book in hand, his one visible eye closed. He saw Sakura, too! Boy, did she look scary, scowling at him that way. He even heard a sepulchral whisper from his past, Sasuke saying 'dumbass.' One thing was certain, he would never tell anyone about _this _part of his ordeal, if he managed to survive that is. "Yeh. That's it! You said I was the only one who didn't know." Once again, a sea change. Naruto forgot about his troublesome erection, and began to feel somewhat indignant. Indignant and defensive.

"Yes," Hinata replied. Naruto sounded angry. Was he upset, having someone like her caring for him?

"It's not like I'm an idiot or something, you know." Naruto growled. He hated the way that some people thought that way about him. He also hated the way he seemed to have been excluded from so many things in his life, for one reason or another. "I've been really busy, you know." He _had _been. Ever since the day he was taken under the Frog Hermit's wing, his life had been a non-stop merry-go-round. Training. Akatsuki. Sasuke. So many things. Girls had been the last thing he really had time to think about seriously, despite those tawdry times with Jiraiya. Fantasies were one thing. That old pervert's research was another. But, true thoughts about girls his age were something else altogether, a luxury he was never provided. So what if everyone else realized the way that a girl felt about him? It didn't mean he was some kind of loser!

"You… you're not an idiot, Naruto-kun…" Hinata didn't want him to think she was putting him down in any way. "You're… you're wonderful…." No, he wasn't a genius like her cousin, Shikamaru, or Uchiha Sasuke. But, he had something about them that none of the others had. "It… I think… maybe it's because I'm not very…" No, she didn't want to go there. She definitely did _not_ want to go there. The last thing she wanted to do was show weakness or self-doubt in front of her precious one. Besides, there was another thing usurping center stage in her thoughts at that moment. "You like Sakura…" There. She had said it.

"Huh? Sakura?" Naruto nodded his head. "Of course I like Sakura." She was his friend and teammate. How could he not like the feisty medical ninja? "Oh… you me _'like' _like…" He froze. It was that subject again. Sakura. His feelings for Sakura. Her feelings for him, and both their feelings for Sasuke. It was a tangled web he usually tried to avoid thinking about. Sometimes, he thought that the three of them might end up like Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru, always orbiting about the lives of the others, but never ending up closer than teammates.

He hung his head a moment, thinking about his erstwhile mentor, and the unrequited feelings he had for the Hokage. He also thought about Sasuke, wondering if he would end up like Orochimaru. No, there were bigger problems. He wondered if his errant teammate would end up _as_ Orochimaru, or at least the body that asshole inhabited. "Sakura's my friend… I would do anything for her… the Promise of a Lifetime…" He shrugged. "Sometimes I think she might…" She had changed the way she acted around him. She might even have begun caring about him in a different way. "You know… and sometimes I think I.…"

"She's…" Hinata's voice was even fainter than before. She felt very dizzy now, as if she were teetering on the edge of passing out. "She's a really nice girl…" She coughed, her body jerking. "She's gotten very strong, too." Sakura was a 'somebody.' She was said to be the best medical ninja of her generation, someone who might even rival the Hokage in skill one day. She was also Naruto's friend and teammate as he said, something that gave her an advantage over other girls who might take a liking to him. Her thoughts wandered back to the day that the genin teams were chosen. She remembered how disappointed she was, when she ended up with Shino and Kiba instead of Naruto.

"And not so bitchy… most of the time…" Naruto felt like folding his arms across his chest and making a face; but, the former was impossible at the moment. He made up for it by making a rather impressive face, despite the fact that no one could see it. "Don't tell her I said that…" Sakura may have softened some, but was still very much an iron fist in a velvet glove. "Yeh. She's pretty special, I guess…"

"…" Hinata didn't know what to feel. How could she, since Naruto himself was unsure about his feelings for the pink-haired kunoichi. At that instant, more than anything, she wished that Naruto would think that she was special too. But, who had every really thought _that?_

"But…" Naruto might be clueless. He might be very naïve when it came to certain things. Nevertheless, he had a unique way of interacting with others, understanding what they might be feeling, and finding similarities in his own life. "Maybe you're someone special _too, _Hinata-chan…"

Hinata's eyes opened very wide. She might have looked like Rock Lee, had anyone been able to contemplate her visage. Her heart began beating impossibly fast, and that did not help her at all, when it came to her borderline syncope. She knew that Naruto was simply being kind. That was his way, after all. But, there was a definite question in his voice. He wasn't certain one way or the other. He was entertaining the possibility that she might be someone worthwhile, too! It might not be much, but that small victory meant everything to her.

Naruto yawned, long and deep. He did it again, a number of times. He wasn't tired. It was an effect of the oxygen deprivation. All the chakra in the universe wouldn't hold that off. Even having the damn demon inside of him wouldn't save him. He suddenly felt a wave of frustration rush over him. This was wrong. It was so very wrong. He couldn't die here. His dreams couldn't end like this! Having thought about Kyubi, he sighed. Hinata had shared a very big secret with him. He still didn't know how to feel about that revelation. In a way, his heart should be soaring, knowing that someone somewhere felt that way about him, a boy who had been outcast and hated throughout his early life. It didn't matter who felt that way, as long as someone did. He knew that wasn't fair to Hinata. He also felt it wasn't fair that she had bared her soul that way, while she remained ignorant of _his_ greatest secret.

"Hinata… you know… I might not be as special as you think…" Naruto's arms gave way. He had been doing his best for a long time, trying to prop himself off of Hinata as best he could. But, his strength was giving way. If it wasn't pitch black, he might have been able to notice that his vision was dimming, too.

"N-Naruto-kun…" Hinata felt the increased weight upon her, but took little note of it. It took ever fiber of her being to simply stay conscious. "Wh-What…"

"It's… I have…" Naruto clenched his teeth. Perversely, his thoughts turned morbid. He hoped that if he died, the stupid fox died with him. It was hard for him to tell the shy girl beneath him about the Nine Tails, especially since the Bijuu had wrecked so much havoc on the Hyuuga clan that fateful day. Part of him was certain that she would stop feeling the way she did about him. Even though he wasn't certain how he should feel about her feelings, he realized that the loss of that admiration would hurt him somehow.

Once again, he found himself sharing another similarity with Hinata. He couldn't simply blurt out the terrible truth he had carried with him ever since the day that Mizuki had tricked him into swiping the Forbidden Scroll. "The Kyubi was the most powerful of the tailed-beasts. A swipe of one of its nine tails could raise tsunamis and flatten mountains. After the Nine-Tailed demon attacked the Hidden Leaf Village, the Fourth Hokage sealed it into baby by using the Dead Demon Consuming Seal, sacrificing his own life."

"Why…" Hinata was perplexed. Why was Naruto talking about _that _horrid monster? Was this some kind of story, to distract her, to keep her from worrying about her approaching doom? Though she had heard countless tails of woe regarding that youma, she never heard anything about a baby.

"The people of Konoha hated that young child, because he carried the spirit of the demon who had destroyed their once peaceful village. They treated him badly, even though the Fourth Hokage's wanted that child to be seen as a hero who contained the demon." Naruto clenched his hands into fists. Even now, despite the wonderful changes in his life, the memories of his past still carried a painful sting. " He was shunned by his fellow villagers… he was ignored by their children… his classmates…." Those days seemed so distant at times. But, the things he learned about his fellow townspeople would always be there, in one form or another. He amazed himself, however, by lacking any real sense of anger or resentment. In that way, he was very different than Sasuke, and a number of other ninja he had met during missions. How could he ever hope to be Hokage, if he harbored ill feelings for the people he would pledge to protect? No. Maybe the real question was 'Could he really hope to be Hokage, with people knowing who he truly was?' "He… he was always confused… confused and alone…"

"I don't…" Hinata moved one hand, her fingers twitching. An idea was forming in the back of her mind. But, was she really hearing this? Was she unconscious? Was this some kind of final dream?

"But… he was very lucky in one way… that boy…" Naruto thought back to the day that Iruka Umino had stood up for him, despite the fact that his parent's had both been killed while fighting Kyubi. "Someone accepted him… someone who had once wanted very much to be accepted himself…" He felt a tear forming, and quickly wiped it away. He was not going to cry now! It was bad enough that he had cried when he and Sakura found out how strong Sasuke had grown, and how terrible their former teammate's obsession had become. "Someone believed in him… someone became the family he never had… the sadness began to go away…"

"Was it…" Hinata shook her head. It was silly, her thought. Naruto might be clueless, having missed the fact that she had been following him and watching him for so long. But, she wasn't unobservant. Having watched him over the years, how could she miss something so drastic? Yet, he was laying there telling her this, when it was best that neither of them spoke any further.

"The boy… the boy even has whisker-like marks on his face…" Naruto thought that the universe was a very perverse thing alright, playing a trick like that! "Being the demon's Jinchuriki gives him quick healing… a lot of stamina… and he can use large amounts of the fox's chakra..." It was his turn to start coughing, and to feel light-headed. "All that chakra allows him to use the Shadow Clone Technique… and to summon Gamabunta, the Toad Boss."

"Th-Then…" Hinata realized that her guess was right after all.

Naruto knew that Hinata had caught on. He had said enough. But, he wanted her to understand him, and he felt a need to keep talking about himself. If the girl who had thought so much about him refused to reject him, that would mean he should have hope for the future, right? Didn't it?

"The boy started off using that chakra when he was very emotional, or in a life-or-death situation." Naruto cursed Jiraiya under his breath, remembering how the big jerk had thrown him down a ravine. "After training with one of the Sannin, he could start to use a small amount of that chakra, traveling inside his mind and demanding the damn fox give him power. It usually agreed, because it was amused by his bravery, or because not doing it would result in the boy's death, and its own death too."

He wished that he could see Hinata's face. She wasn't scared of him, was she? She didn't hate him, right? Sakura had learned the truth. So had Temari. They had accepted him without any trouble! Any visible trouble, that is.

Hinata remained silent. She pinched herself. No, she was not dreaming, unless she just dreamed that she had pinched herself. Her thoughts grew tight and tangled before scattering like a bevy of frightened quail. Naruto was the Kyubi! No, Naruto _contained _the monster. She shouldn't make the same mistake the other villagers made, should she? They never let themselves grow to know Uzumaki Naruto the way that she had. Even though she knew she should feel frightened or confused, she felt resolute, wishing she could convince everyone to see him the way that she did. She, and the rest of the people that knew him for who he truly was. Just how many people knew his secret, when all was said and done? Was it something important, his sharing things with her this way?

"It's not… it's not as great as it might seem…having all that power." Naruto didn't realize that he was snuggling against Hinata the way he usually did with his pillow at night. He was too sleepy to pick up on that fact. But, with their lives close to fading out, it wouldn't be any ordinary sleep. Absentmindedly, he reached up to adjust his goofy night cap, even thought it wasn't there. He yawned again. "The more the boy draws the Kyubi's power, the more his own personality is replaced by the demon's. It gets really bad if I… if the boy… starts to change into one of his 'tailed' states. If it's only one, two, or three tails, I… he… remains in charge. But, if there's a fourth tail… if there's four… the stupid fox becomes dominant." He didn't feel compelled to tell Hinata the things that happened to his body whenever a fourth tail manifested.

Naruto listened silently for a moment. There was still no response from Hinata. That had Naruto carefully finding her face with his hands and shaking her head ever so slightly.

"I'm…I'm still here…" Hinata liked the feel of Naruto's skin on hers. His hands were warm. The feeling reminded her of times when her mother held her. Smiling, she began to slide off into the darkness.

"Then say something." Naruto said. "Any way… you know it's me I'm talking about…." He shrugged again. There was no reason to keep saying 'he' or 'the boy.' Right? "You don't have to be scared of me… it's not like I'm the monster…" He coughed again. This time he tasted blood. Not good. "There's a seal keeping the damn fox inside. The Third told me that the chance of Kyubi breaking free was one in a million. But…" He closed his eyes tightly. It was something he always worried about. "Jiraiya thinks that the seal might be growing weaker…" That last came out in a whisper.

"I'm… I'm not afraid…" Hinata used what remaining strength she had to raise one arm. She rested her hand on top of Naruto's head. "You're still you, Naruto-kun…"

Those were the lasts word Hinata said, then. They were the last thing Naruto remembered hearing, other than the sound of her heartbeat. The dark enveloped them both, and carried their conscious thoughts away for an indeterminate period of time. As such, neither realized the moment when they were discovered, or had any idea how they were rescued.

Laying flat on his back on a large slab of cold rock, Naruto kept his eyes firmly shut, even though the sounds of the world around him were finally leaving their mark. There was still something soft beneath him, but it rested under his head now, and didn't feel the same way that Hinata had. The fact that he could feel faint air currents caress his still form told him that he was out of his temporary prison cell. Wait. Hinata! Is she OK? That thought had his eyes opening immediately.

"He's awake!" That was Sakura. She was leaning over him, looking exhausted and very worried.

"So it would seem." Another figure came into view, holding a small book in his hand. It was Kakashi. Sai stood on one side of the Copy Ninja, while Yamato walked over to stand at the other side.

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto tried to sit up, and became nauseous for his efforts. Just the same, he refused to lay back down. He had been in a prone position for far too long, down in that forsaken hole. "Kakashi-sensei! Sai! Yamato-sensei!" His joy at seeing his comrades had replaced his concern for Hinata, but not for long. "Hinata… where is Hinata? Is she OK…" He didn't bother asking if they had won the battle and completed their mission.

"She's over here." That was Kurenai's voice, off to one side. Naruto started to stand but sat down hard when Sakura forcefully restrained him. The nagging began immediately after that. Naruto didn't notice that she looked as if she had been crying. Things had been much closer than he had any reason to realize yet.

"I'll… I'll be OK…" That was Hinata. Hearing her voice, Naruto felt relieved. In fact, he put his hands behind his head and lay back down.

"Hinata's tougher than she looks." That was Kiba, standing over against one cave wall, where he had a good view of both of his friends. A rather large Akamaru barked out his own thoughts on the matter. "But… what I really want to know… what did you two do down there all that time?" He grinned a mischievous grin. "I bet they were making out!"

"**Kiba!" **Naruto sat up much too quickly again. He glowered over at his friend, ignoring the fact that Sakura was scowling at him for being an unruly patient.

"That will be enough of that." Kurenai's voice carried an edge of steel to it. Now was not the time for any of Kiba's tomfoolery.

"Yes," Shino remarked. "It should be obvious that nothing happened. Hinata is not that type of girl. And Naruto is a gentleman." That had Akamaru snorting and Kiba looking incredulous.

"Oh… I don't know…" Kakahsi smiled that hidden smile of his, still reading the newest Icha Icha book. "You never know… Naruto _did _spend all that time with Jiraiya…" His smile widened, seeing the perturnbed look on Naruto's face. That, and the anger glowing in Sakura's eyes. Sai merely smiled the way he was wont to do, soaking in the happenings around him, trying to learn as much of the world of interpersonal relations as he could. Yamato smiled as well, simply happy to see that the two shinobi looked to be doing alright. "If the rumors are true… he might even have ghost-written some of the latest chapters…" He waved the book.

Kurenai looked over at her fellow jounin, causing Kashi to hold his arms far apart as if to say, 'Hey, I'm merely speaking the truth here.'

"Naruto would never do anything like that." Sakura raised her nose, looking askance at the masked ninja. _"Right, _Naruto?" There was a strange and un-interpretable look in her eyes as she glanced down at her teammate.

"Of course not!" Naruto felt somewhat hot at first. Why did everyone think bad things about him? Then, he blinked rapidly, remembering a couple of things. His hands had accidentally touched parts of Hinata that shouldn't be touched. And, even worse, a certain part of his body below the waist had behaved in a very inappropriate way.

"We… we didn't kiss." Hinata felt embarrassed, even saying the word 'kiss' with Naruto in the vicinity. That, despite the fact that the two of them had been pressed tightly together for hours.

"I didn't think so," Sakura said, folding her arms across her chest.

"Yeh. That's probably true. What was I thinking?" Kiba reached over and ran his hand over Akamaru's head. "Naruto probably doesn't even know _how_…" Akamaru's barks echoed throughout the caverns.

"Hey… Kiba…" This time, when Naruto tried to get up, Sakura resorted to desperate measures. She sat on him. That had Sai making a remark that nearly got the Root member killed.

Things settled down after that. Other medical ninjas caught up with their group, checking in on the injured, and passing along details of the mission. It seems that they had met their goals after all, but not at small cost.

Shino turned out to be the one who was crucial in their rescue. Before they had entered the cave system, the bespectacled ninja had placed a small female bug behind the collar of each of the group members, in case any of them got separated in the maze of tunnels. Once again, insect pheromones did the job where fancy jutsu could not. It didn't hurt that the small bugs could easily flatten up and crawl throw the small cracks in the massive pile of rubble. Naruto made it a point to thank his cowled friend, since the other boy often took offense if he went unnoticed. Kyubi's chakra lending a helping hand once again,

Naruto was ready to stand before Hinata was. Hands on his hips, he surveyed the area around him, taking in the damage caused by the fighting he participated in, and the skirmishing he had missed. He should be happy to be alive. He should feel fortunate to have so many people caring about him. There were a lot of things to think about, not the least of which was Hinata's confession, or the secret that he told in return. But, being who he was, he found himself preoccupied with something much more mundane.

"I'm hungry." Naruto rubbed his belly, a wistful look on his face. He was indeed hungry. Very hungry. Near death experiences often heightened his appetite, when they didn't blot it out altogether.

"He's going to be fine, alright." Sakura wiped away a small tear. If Naruto was worried about food, there was nothing for her to be overly concerned about.

"Naruto-kun…" Hinata managed a shy smile. The world seemed to have righted itself, regaining balance. She had a lot of things to think about too, but now was not the time.

"So. Who's up for some Ramen?" Naruto shook his frog purse.

**END**


End file.
